Slow Heart Beat
by Muzica-chan
Summary: The start of a friendship so grand that it can't fade, only change with time.  MorganxReid
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Morgan, Reid, Garcia, or anything else relating to Criminal Minds. The only thing I own is the idea, and I don't make a profit from it, except a fuzzy warmth that satisfies my inner fanboy.

**Warning**: Not slash, not yet at least.

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><p>The young man that joined their group knew too much about human mortality even before being faced with the more gruesome of unsubs. Looking into his eyes, Morgan could see the haunted look that hid behind that eager gaze.<p>

From the first time he met the young, brilliant Spencer Reid, he could see that there was something in the past that drove the boy to pursue a career in the FBI. The pay certainly wasn't enough to sway anyone, especially not someone with a brain like that. He could have been anything, so something must have drive him to pick such an unpleasant career. The question was: What?

When the two of them met for the first time, he had been briskly informed that it was "Doctor Reid," not "Agent Reid." Gideon hadn't explained it to him, but he hadn't needed to. Genius could only get you so far, and then looks held you back. If anyone had their looks stacked against them, it was that kid.

It wasn't that Reid was ugly or anything. For a guy, he was sort of cute. The problem was, he looked a lot like a twelve year old, and acted like a socially awkward child. Nervous and uncertain, he fell back on statistics and stumbled over his words when he was confronted with a situation where he had to deal with someone one-on-one. Even when he was being introduced to the team, he had been flustered and uncertain.

Despite how naïve and childish he seemed, Morgan could still see it in his eyes. There was something in the darkness that haunted the doctor. As they faced grisly cases that turned his stomach, he reached out to protect the twenty-one year old boy. He wanted to prevent him from learning anymore about human mortality.

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><p>AN: I love their friendship so much. Also, this series will be broken into 3-4 Parts. This is "Part A" and will include 25-36 chapters. All of them will be about the same length as this piece.


	2. Chapter 2

**Warning**: None, other than still no slashy goodness. Also, this piece takes place at the beginning of season 1.

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><p>He had never thought of himself as illiterate before. Compared to a lot of the guys he had grown up with, Morgan was a bookworm. Sure, he would rather be training in hand-to-hand or out on the firing range, but he would spend hours reading. Not only was it part of his job, he enjoyed reading fiction.<p>

However, there was no way that he could even dream of keeping up with Reid. In the time he had known him, he had seen everything from fantasy to self-help to biography books in those pale hands. The way he cradled the books as his eyes flicked eagerly over the page was rapt. It was like the world fell away, and maybe for him, it really did. After all, no one came between Reid and whatever he had chosen to bestow his focus.

Sighing, Morgan watched the young man as he continued to flip through the book. They were on their way back towards Virginia and while everyone else had the decency to start nodding off, Reid looked like he was read to read for hours.

"What are you reading?" he finally demanded, a yawn slipping into his words.

Reid jerked back violently, his eyes widening with surprise. As soon as he realized it was Morgan, which took only about a second, he stretched and rubbed his eye with one hand. In a tired tone, he answered, "Cinderella. Did you know that the oldest version of the story was told in ancient Egypt? Then, it was told about girl named Rhodopis that was a slave that had been captured from Greece."

Morgan's mouth opened, but all that came out was another yawn. Shaking his head, he told Reid, "You read some interesting things."

He barely noticed the sly smile as he fell asleep.

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><p><strong><span>AN**: Face it. Reid makes everyone feel stupid. Also! This part will definitely have no more than 33 chapters, all this length. Thanks for reading~


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